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Australia can exploit NZ weakness: Haddin

Veteran keeper says 'holes' have been uncovered in unbeaten Kiwis' batting

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin says Australia’s fast bowlers discovered “a few holes” in New Zealand’s middle order in their thrilling World Cup loss to the tournament co-hosts last month.

Australia went down by one wicket to the Black Caps in Auckland in a game which bucked the trend of the competition as ball dominated bat on the postage stamp-sized Eden Park venue.

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Defending 151, Michael Clarke’s side went within a whisker of stealing a remarkable get-out-of-jail victory, thanks to a stunning spell of fast bowling from Mitchell Starc.

“What it did end up being was a good spectacle for the fans,” Haddin told SEN radio today.

“But from our point of view, we just had one of those days where we just kept on getting knocked over.

“The one thing we did take out of it (the loss in Auckland) was that we were able to put New Zealand under pressure and I think we found a few holes there in their middle order, if you can get to it.

“I think the next time we play against them, if we get the opportunity, there will be a lot of pressure on their top order because that middle order didn’t like our pace I don’t think.”

Starc finished with six wickets, shattering the stumps four times including the wickets of second-drop Ross Taylor for one and No.5 Grant Elliot for a golden duck in consecutive deliveries.

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Starc was pumped up during his spell of 6-28 // Getty Images

And while New Zealand have stampeded through the World Cup undefeated, they’ve done so on the back of their bowling strength and all-out attack of Brendon McCullum opening the batting, leaving their middle-to-lower order short of match practice heading in to the knockout stage of the tournament.

The Black Caps’ leading run-scorers occupy the top three positions in the batting order: McCullum (249), Williamson (182) and the captain’s opening partner Martin Guptill (156), while Elliot (77), Taylor (53) and wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi (47) have been starved of opportunity.

Ronchi in particular has spent little time at the crease, facing only 36 balls in three innings during the 50-over showpiece.

Allrounder Corey Anderson is the only other player to have accumulated 100 runs or more, but 75 of his 119 runs came in the first-up win over Sri Lanka in Christchurch four weeks ago.

In the two times New Zealand have been tested chasing a target, against Australia and Associate nation Scotland, batsman No.4 through No.7 scored a combined 94 runs at an average 11.75, with Elliot’s 29 against the Scots the top score.

And the lower order might not get another opportunity before their quarter-final in Wellington on  March 21 after McCullum won the toss and elected to bowl against Bangladesh in Hamilton today, the fifth straight time New Zealand have bowled first.

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